Karbonn A9 review – Android smartphone with 1 GHz processor

The Karbonn A9 is the latest buzz. You might have seen the A9 advertisement on TV, it’s all about speed. The android powered A9 smartphone comes with a 1 GHz processor and you can buy it online for just under Rs. 10,000.

The A9 is available in two colours ivory white and full black. But it will be difficult to get the black version as it is the hottest selling item. This handset is loaded with many good features with an affordable price tag.

Hardware
The Karbonn A9 comes with a really good processor clocked at 1 GHz and for the price it surely has raised the bar. The internal memory is 1 GB 512 MB. This handset can house 2 GSM SIM’s (Dual SIM Supported) and also supports 3G. This is a full touchscreen phone with the screen taking up most of the front area followed by 4 dedicated touch sensitive buttons. The A9 is 11.3 mm thin.

Display
The multi-touch capacitive touchscreen is of size 3.8 inches which may seem normal to you but the display quality is pretty impressive. It supported resolution of 480 by 800 pixels at approx 245 ppi which is just too good for such a low price.

Operating system and Storage
This handset runs on Android 2.3 with multitasking supported. Apart from the 1 GB internal storage you will need to buy microSD card so that you can start downloading apps from the Google Play. You can move installed apps easily to the micro SD card thereby keeping the internal memory free for a faster and smother performance. MicroSD card up to 32 GB is supported.

Connectivity
You can use 3G for surfing or GPRS/ EDGE networks when 3G is not available. There is Wi-Fi and USB with tethering support so you can share the phone’s net connection with other devices like PC / Laptop etc.

Other features are Bluetooth, WAP and GPS with A-GPS. You can use the GPS which works with Google maps apps that comes pre-loaded.

Entertainment / Multimedia
The android media player supports many formats moreover watching movies on a 480 by 800 pixel resolution is fun. There is the FM radio which you can use for live music.

Camera
A powerful phone with an equally impressive camera. The A9 houses two cameras, a front facing VGA that can be used for video chats and a primary, rear facing camera of 5 megapixel resolution. You can click still pictures or record videos. There is built in flash that helps in getting a better shot in low light conditions. You can also take panoramic shots.

Additional features
The A9 supports voice assisted GPS, voice input, handwriting recognition and live wallpapers. This handset is SNS ready you can use Facebook, Yahoo messenger, Twitter etc and keep connected with your social networks on the move.

Battery
This smartphone comes with a 1600 mAh battery. The battery performance is good with an expected standby time of up to 200 hours (8 days) and about 4 hours of talktime.

Karbonn A9 price in India is Rs. 9,199. Infibeam.com is selling it for just Rs. 8,999.

Review
For about the same price you can get a Samsung Galaxy Y phone but when you compare the Karbonn A9 with the Galaxy Y the A9 wins but then it still comes down to the brand. Samsung is a trusted brand and Karbonn is not that popular.

No doubt the price and the features beats most of its competitors. The processor and the camera are two important features that adds value. If you are okay with the Karbonn brand this is a must buy handset.

Many users are complaining about the Proximity sensor issue or screen going blank when calling / receiving call. To fix the proximity sensor error or re-set other sensors, just dial *#36# then you will get all the hardware listed tap to test or calibrate it.